Echoes of Tomorrow
by Mylari
Summary: Joe finds himself confronting a face from his past.
1. Questions

Written for the 2014 Gatchamania holiday gift exchange in response to ElectricWhite's prompt: Someone with a link to Joe's past suddenly shows up.

Thanks to KT1972 and Amethyst for their beta suggestions!

* * *

><p>Joe stretched his finger toward the bright red button, a gleeful feeling flooding through him. But just before he could make contact, a blue gloved hand wrapped itself around his wrist, stopping him. Without turning his head, he growled, "Kuso! Ken, why do we even have the missiles onboard if you never let me shoot them?"<p>

"Joe, we need to know what we're dealing with first. Besides, we only have a limited supply of bird missiles on board. We should be saving them, not wasting them."

"Ken, you think too much. Give me one shot and then we can go home!"

"I already told you, we're not firing yet."

Joe swore at Gatchaman as he yanked his hand from Ken's grasp with a grunt. He turned defiantly and began to reach for the button again only to find himself being grabbed and pulled backwards away from the console. Pivoting on his heel, he growled loudly as he pinned Ken with a menacing glare. Both men gave up any pretense of a rational conversation as they stood snarling at one another. Circling each other aggressively, the Eagle and Condor decided to settle things physically. Seeing his opening during the ensuing scuffle, Joe pulled his fist back, ready to swing at Ken's face with all of his considerable strength, when an incessant beeping distracted him.

* * *

><p>As the sound continued, Joe blinked his eyes open only to realize that he was no longer on the bridge of the God Phoenix; he was in his trailer. A quick glance through the window at the indigo sky outside confirmed that it was nowhere near morning yet. Groaning, he sat up and looked at the clock. "Kuso, it's too early for this," he muttered even as he raised his wrist to his mouth. He grunted out a gruff, "What?" expecting the call to be from Ken.<p>

The voice that responded, however, did not belong to Gatchaman. "Joe, report to Crescent Coral Base immediately!"

"Yes, Hakase!" He leapt from his bed and pulled on his clothing, muttering to himself the entire time. As he turned his car onto the road, a light rain began to fall. "This had better be good. That was turning into a great dream…"

* * *

><p>After arriving at the base, Joe quickly made his way through the security checks. As he neared Nambu's office, he wracked his brain trying to figure out just what this summons could be about. He couldn't think of anything that he had done recently that would have warranted a wakeup call in the dead of night. Sure there were things that <em>might<em> be deemed worthy of a lecture, but nothing that needed to be addressed before the sun came up. Squaring his shoulders, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a feather shuriken. Placing the tip into his mouth, he began to chew, hoping the motion would help him to relax. At the very least, it would give him something to concentrate on besides the speech he was surely about to endure. After all, it really wouldn't do to fall asleep while being censured for some unknown transgression.

Knowing that he was expected, Joe didn't bother to knock or otherwise announce his presence. Stepping inside the room, Joe twirled the feather between his teeth as he slouched against the wall, his arms and legs crossed before him. "You summoned me, Hakase?"

Nambu glanced up from the stack of papers he'd been engrossed in and made note of the Condor's pose. He raised an eyebrow and wondered just what trouble Joe had gotten into now, but then decided he was better off not knowing. "Joe, just how much do you remember about your childhood? From the time before you came to be under my care." His eyes took in Joe's shocked expression as the question caught the ninja completely off guard.

"My childhood?" Joe's brows furrowed sharply. "I don't understand, Hakase. Why did you wake me in the middle of the night and summon me down here to ask what I remembered of my early childhood?" His arms fell to his sides as he leaned forward slightly.

Nambu sighed, realizing that he wasn't going to get much information out of Joe like this. Changing tactics, he carefully slid the papers from his desk into a file folder which he slipped into a drawer before speaking again. "Joe, does the name Niccolo mean anything to you?"

Joe stared at his mentor in confusion for a minute before shaking his head, the feather dangling from his mouth drifting with the movement. "No, nothing in particular. Why? Should it?"

"That's what I am trying to determine, Joe. Recently someone by the name Niccolo has been making inquiries into the deaths of Giuseppe, Katarina, and Giorgio Asakura. The questions, while discrete, imply an intimate knowledge of your family. Unfortunately, it's proven nearly impossible for us to find out just who this Niccolo is and what his connection is to you."

Joe pulled himself from the wall and approached Nambu's desk. Passing a chair, he hooked his arm through it and dragged it with him, dropping heavily into the seat once he reached his destination. "What _do_ we know about him?" His words, barely above a whisper, betrayed a mixture of apprehension and hopefulness.

Nambu sighed heavily before reaching back into his desk drawer and withdrawing a slim burgundy folder which he handed to Joe wordlessly.

Joe stared at the colored cardstock for a few moments before taking a deep breath and opening the folder. The feather hanging from his mouth spun and twirled crazily, betraying his anxiety. He looked at the top of the single page report, but couldn't bring himself to begin reading yet. This was all too new, too unexpected. When he had gone to bed the night before, he was secure in the knowledge of who he was and what his place was in the world. Now, a few short hours later, he was sitting in Nambu Hakase's office staring at a folder containing information on someone who may have known his parents. Slowly he let his eyes drift across the page, scanning the words inscribed on the crisp, white sheet. Reaching the end of the report, he flicked his eyes back up to meet those of his mentor. "Hakase, are we sure this is accurate?"

"As sure as we can be at this time. I'm sure you can understand now why it was so urgent that we address this immediately."

Joe nodded somberly. "Where is he now?"

"He arrived at the Utoland airport just before I contacted you. I've had agents following him since he left the terminal."

"Then let's go have a word with him."


	2. A Face from the Past

Minutes later Joe found himself behind the wheel once again. Nambu Hakase sat in the passenger seat beside him, speaking quietly, yet urgently, into a portable handset, his eyes firmly fixed on the darkness of the road ahead of them. The miles flew by as Joe sped along the nearly deserted roadways, following the directions his mentor provided as they travelled. After what seemed like hours, they finally came to a halt outside a large warehouse on the outskirts of town. Once they exited the car, Joe quickly swept his left arm in a wide arc before his face and uttered the command, "Bird Go!" A blinding flash of light surrounded him, creating long, dark shadows ahead of Nambu as the doctor strode briskly towards the building's entrance. Following closely behind his mentor, the Condor scowled at the structure before they slipped quietly inside.

As the door closed softly behind them, Joe slipped a few feather shuriken into his hand where they dangled loosely between his fingers. Taking the lead, the Condor made his way deeper into the building. Signaling for Nambu to follow him, Joe led them through the shadowy recesses of the hallway. Sounds of typing and quietly muttered curses floated down the corridor causing Joe to stop suddenly. Eyes darting around quickly, the Condor silently opened the nearest door and peered inside. After assuring himself that the room was empty, he motioned his mentor inside. Sliding in behind him, Joe pushed the door closed and whispered, "Wait here while I make sure he's alone." Without waiting for an acknowledgement, the Condor dashed back out of the room, another dark shadow in the night.

Following the sounds further along the hallway, Joe found himself outside an open door. Careful to remain outside the pool of light spilling from the room, Joe hugged the doorframe as he slowly twisted to peer inside. A man sat behind a desk tapping away at a computer terminal, his head lowered, face cloaked in shadows. Drawing on his ninja training, Joe immediately assessed the potential threat the man posed. Judging the risk minimal, the Condor watched for an opening. As the man studied the monitor and continued to type, the ninja quickly slithered into the room undetected. Remaining in the darkness of the shadows, he made his way around the perimeter of the room until he found himself standing behind the unidentified man. He leaned forward slightly in an attempt to read the screen from his vantage point over the man's shoulder.

"You know it's considered rude to read over someone's shoulder, Giorgio. Or should I be calling you Joe? I've heard that was your name now…" The man spoke quietly without moving.

Caught completely off guard, Joe froze before quickly recovering. He responded with all the authority of Gatchaman in his voice. "You must have me mistaken for someone else. I am G-2, the Condor."

The man turned slowly in his chair, affording Joe a full view of his face for the first time. He smiled at the look of shock and recognition that the ninja couldn't suppress quickly enough. "Not expecting to see me were you Giorgio?"

"But… How…? I saw you die…" Joe's eyes widened in surprise as his words failed him.

The man raised one eyebrow as his lips formed a smirk worthy of the Condor himself. "If I am not mistaken, you died that day as well, son. It would seem that the rumors of both of our deaths have been greatly overstated."

Joe shook his head in disbelief before regaining his composure. "Come with me and we will determine if you really are who you claim to be." The gruffness in Joe's voice betrayed the emotions he was working hard to control.

The man rose to his feet and Joe was surprised to find that they were of a height. Each pair of steel blue eyes took stock of their mirror image as the men tried to read each other. Finally, Joe tore his gaze away, grabbed the man's arm, turned him roughly, and forced him out of the chamber. They strode in silence along the empty passageway to the room where Nambu waited.

* * *

><p>Nambu paced the small room as he anxiously awaited Joe's return. The sound of approaching footsteps caused him to start and turn toward the door. His eyes widened as he watched Joe shove a familiar looking man into the room before entering himself. Once the door was closed behind them, the man was pushed down into a chair. Nambu glanced from Joe's face to the man's and back again, his eyes narrowing. Finally settling his gaze on the newcomer once more he asked quietly, "Niccolo, I presume?"<p>

The man nodded in response. "Yes." He returned the doctor's stare evenly.

"Our intelligence lists you as a close relative of the Asakura family. Possibly even a brother to Giuseppe. I see now that our information was not quite accurate. You are not the man I expected to see."

"As you can see, the rumors of my death, like those of my son's, were exaggerated, Nambu." The man spoke quietly and waved his hand toward Joe casually.

Joe stood quietly, eyes flicking back and forth, taking in the exchange silently. Remembering where they were, he cleared his throat roughly. "Hakase, maybe we should take this somewhere else and verify that he is who he claims to be before we say anything else."

"Of course, you're right. Call in the rest of the team. Have the God Phoenix rendezvous with us here." Nambu's eyes never left the face of the man seated before him.

"Hai, Hakase." Joe turned and slipped back into the hallway. He lifted his bracelet to his mouth, "Gatchaman, this is G-2, respond."

The sleepy response came almost immediately, "This is Gatchaman. What is it, Joe?"

"Hakase and I need you to assemble the team and pick us up. We'll explain when you get here."

"Hai, understood."

Lowering his arm, Joe re-entered the room to find his mentor and the man claiming to be his father quietly eying one other. "Hakase, the team is on their way. We should head outside to meet them."

Nodding silently, Nambu indicated that Niccolo should precede him out the door. The two men followed Joe through the deserted hallways until they reached the main entrance to the building. They slipped outside as the sun began to peek above the horizon. Minutes later, the God Phoenix came into view and landed gently next to the G-2. Four winged ninjas glided down from the mighty warship and gathered around their teammate.

Before Ken could demand an update from Joe, Nambu took control of the situation. "Science Ninja Team, escort this man onto the God Phoenix. Check him for any sign of tracking devices and then isolate him from any outside visuals. Gatchaman, a word please?"

Ken raised an eyebrow as he studied the face of their captive before nodding, "Hai, Hakase."

The two men walked silently before coming to a stop a short distance away from the giant warship. Ken glanced back at the group entering the God Phoenix before turning to Nambu again, his face contorted in confusion. "Hakase? That man…"

"That's what I wanted to discuss with you, Ken. The man claims to be Joe's father. The resemblance is uncanny, but we can't take any chances."

"Understood, Hakase. How is Joe reacting so far?" Ken looked down at his feet as memories of his own short-lived reunion with his father flooded through him.

"As would be expected under the circumstances. Though his is not the only reaction that concerns me, Ken."

"Yes, Hakase." Ken's voice was low and quiet. "I will not let it affect me. You have my word."

"Good. Then let's rejoin the team and head back to base. The sooner I can run tests on this man, the sooner we will all have some answers."

* * *

><p>Within minutes Joe's car was loaded aboard the God Phoenix and the warship was back in the air. After arriving at Crescent Coral base, the team disembarked and escorted their 'guest' to the medical lab where a team of personnel was waiting. Niccolo took a seat on the examination table and quietly submitted to the battery of tests being performed on him. When at last all the samples were taken and the scans completed, he was escorted to an unassigned guest room to rest. Ken stationed himself outside the door and wrapped his wings around himself while they waited for the results to come back.<p>

Before long, he was joined by Joe. The Condor had not one, but two feathers dangling from his clenched teeth as he paced the narrow hallway. Ken remained silent as he followed his second's progress with his eyes. At last, Joe came to a standstill and looked to his commander.

"Want to talk about it, Joe?" Ken asked quietly.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin," came the whispered reply. "I still don't know what results I want to hear."

Ken looked down at his boots and chewed his lip trying to find words that would help his friend. He sighed then lifted his head once more. "I wish I had something helpful to say, but I don't have the best track record when it comes to fathers." He shrugged as a wry smile formed on his face.

Joe chuckled softly and then looked up with a smirk. "That's an understatement." There was a gleam in his eye as he glanced back at Ken. As he opened his mouth to continue, a chime issued from his bracelet. He took a deep breath before whispering to Ken, "Well, here goes nothing." He moved his wrist to his lips. "This is G-2."

"This is Nambu Hakase, the results are in. Please collect Niccolo and accompany him and Ken to my office at once."

"Hai, Hakase. We're on our way." He looked back to Ken and raised his eyebrows. "Well, you heard the man. Let's go."

Ken nodded then opened the door. "Niccolo, it's time. The results are in. Come with us."

The older man emerged from the room and fell into step between the two winged ninjas as they made their way to meet with Nambu.


	3. Frustrating Answers

The three men entered the doctor's office in silence. Joe assumed his position against the wall, his limbs crossed, a feather twirling between his lips as he anxiously chewed the nib. Ken stationed himself next to the window and gazed at the fish swimming lazily past. Niccolo took a seat on one of the couches facing Nambu's desk. The only sounds in the room were the quiet whirring of the desktop computer and the gentle shuffling sound of Nambu rifling through the stack of papers before him.

The doctor looked directly at Niccolo before speaking. "You know what these results say, don't you?"

Niccolo's gaze met Nambu's calmly and evenly. "I believe so, yes." He intoned emotionlessly.

"The medical staff was able to confirm that you are indeed Giuseppe Asakura as you claim."

Joe let out a gasp, the feather falling from his mouth to the floor. His eyes widened as the words penetrated his brain. His gaze flicked from one occupant of the room to the next, unable to settle on any one person to focus on. His father was alive. He couldn't believe it. After all this time, his father was still alive.

Ken pulled his eyes from the watery scene outside the window and took in the tableau within the room. Nambu Hakase may have just confirmed the identity of their visitor, but there was more that the doctor hadn't revealed yet. He was sure of it.

As Niccolo leaned back into the cushions of the sofa, Nambu cleared his throat and then continued. "However, there is something you failed to mention."

A look of confusion crossed Niccolo's face. "I don't understand. What else could there be?"

Nambu could feel three sets of eyes burning into him as they waited for him to resume speaking. He cleared his throat quietly and looked back at the medical report in his hand. "According to this report, Niccolo, you are no longer fully human. The test results reveal that you are a cyborg."

Niccolo's eyes widened in fear as he gasped. "No, there must be some mistake. I… I can't be a cyborg. Surely I would have some memory of the process if that were true?"

"A cyborg, Hakase? How is that possible?" Ken looked from his mentor to Joe and back again.

"Galactor, that's how, Ken." Joe glared at his 'father' as he growled in response.

"There must be some mistake," Niccolo repeated quietly. "Run the tests again, Nambu Hakase," he pleaded. He rose from his seat and crossed the room to face Joe. "Surely you must believe me, Giorgio."

"We can run the tests again if you wish, but the results will be the same. You, Niccolo, are a cyborg created from Giuseppe Asakura." Nambu's voice was firm in response.

Joe studied the face of the man before him, unsure what to think. He shook his head, pivoted on his heel, and left the room without saying another word.

Ken watched his second go before he looked to the doctor and received a slight nod. He then turned and followed Joe out of the room.

* * *

><p>Keeping Joe within his sights, Ken followed him through the corridors of Crescent Coral Base. Finally coming to a halt, Joe spoke without turning. "How long do you plan to follow me, Ken?"<p>

"Joe..."

"No, I don't want to hear it, Ken. I don't want to hear anything from anyone. I just want to open my eyes and wake up from this nightmare already."

Ken sighed and studied his second's posture. He could see the tension in Joe's body and practically felt it radiate in waves from his friend. "Joe," he said quietly. "I can't begin to imagine what you must be thinking right now, but I'm here if you want to talk."

"What's there to talk about Ken? Galactor killed my parents and then turned what was left of my father into a cyborg. A robot monster sent here to kill me."

"Joe, he seemed as surprised as we were that he was a cyborg and he certainly didn't seem all that interested in killing you. Has he resisted anything since you found him?"

"No, but that doesn't mean anything. He may have just wanted an easy ride into our base." Joe started pacing the small hallway in agitation.

"Or he could be telling the truth. Don't you at least want the chance to talk to him, the chance to know him? Even if he is a cyborg, that's still your father's brain and memories in his head." Ken looked at Joe with tears in his eyes. "Don't just dismiss the chance you're being given. Some of us will never be that lucky." Ken lowered his head to the side swallowing hard as he studied his boots.

"Do you think I haven't thought of that, Ken? But even if he is telling the truth, then what? I just let him into my life? Reveal all the identities of the Kagaku Ninja Tai? How can I even confirm _my_ identity to him?" Joe's voice gave out as he leaned back against the wall. He slid down until he was seated on the floor across the hallway from Ken.

"He already recognized you, Joe," Gatchaman stated quietly as he crossed the hallway and dropped down to the floor next to Joe. "I'm sure Hakase has already made sure that he isn't transmitting any information back to Galactor. You've been given a second chance at a family Joe. Aren't you at least curious about what he has to say?"

"That's just it, Ken. I've spent so much time and effort looking for revenge against Galactor making it such an integral part of who I am, so who do I become if it turns out I don't need to avenge my father after all?"

Ken bit his lip for a moment, trying to control his emotions after hearing the despair in Joe's quiet admission. Then a smirk threatened to turn up the corner of his mouth. Glancing at Joe out of the corner of his eye, he simply pointed out the obvious. "Well, you'd still be Condor Joe and you'd still be the same person. After all, Galactor killed your mother too didn't they? So you still have someone to avenge."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Ken." A soft chuckle accompanied his words as he stood and offered a hand to Gatchaman. "You certainly know how to cheer a guy up."

Turning back the way they came, the two men slowly and silently made their way back to Nambu's office.

* * *

><p>Walking into the room, the two ninjas quietly resumed their positions from a short while earlier. Nambu looked to Ken, an unspoken question waiting to be answered. Ken merely nodded in response before allowing his gaze to drift to the room's other occupant.<p>

"While you were gone, Niccolo and I had a short discussion about where he's been for the past ten years," the doctor began quietly.

"Not that there has been much to tell. I remember the attack on the beach and then I awoke in a hospital room. I had no idea who I was or how I had gotten there. The attending physician told me that I had been in a coma under his care for an extended period of time. According to him, I had been brought to the hospital nearly three years earlier. All he was told was that I had been a trauma victim, my name was Niccolo, and that I had already been in a coma for nearly five years. He had begun to give up hope that I would ever recover. Once I regained my strength, I began attempting to research who I was in order to see if I had any family who might be worried about me. It was during those searches that I began to find records of the Asakura family's murder and the pictures triggered some of my memories to return. I kept searching for any indication of the survival of my wife and son, hoping that whoever or whatever saved me, had been as kind to them." He stopped speaking, stood up, and crossed the distance to where Joe slouched. "While I knew that hoping for either of you to be alive was asking for a miracle, I could never have imagined what I would discover." He attempted to catch Joe's eyes through the purple tinted visor, but the Condor studiously refused to allow the eye contact.

"So then the procedure must have taken place during the initial coma. Did the doctor tell you who it was that brought you to be under his care?" Ken asked Niccolo.

"No, Dr. Raphael said that there was nothing remarkable about the man." Niccolo shrugged.

"Hakase, this doesn't sound like Galactor to me. If it was, why would they leave him in a hospital with no memories or instructions?"

"Indeed, Gatchaman. This does not sound like a Galactor plot to me either." The doctor gently ran his fingers along his mustache as he pondered the information.

"Is there someone else working in cybernetics that the ISO is aware of? Maybe someone we can ally with?"

"Not to my knowledge, but this isn't exactly my field."

Joe continued to remain silent as he listened to the exchange. Finally, he pulled himself from the wall and spoke softly. "If this isn't the work of Galactor, then what is the plan behind turning this man into a cyborg? What purpose does it serve? There must be a reason to go through the effort. No one takes the time to create a cyborg because they are bored."

"Niccolo, Joe's right. Do you have any idea what you are supposed to accomplish now that you are awake again?" Ken asked gently.

"No, my only plan since I awoke has been to find out who I was and then see if any of my family was still alive. You have to believe me. I had no idea that I'd been _changed_." Niccolo's voice dropped to a whisper and his eyes searched Ken's face.


	4. Release

Stifling a yawn, Ken blinked and rubbed his eyes. Looking at the others in the room with him, Ken realized that they had been awake for the better part of a day and fatigue was beginning to set in. "Hakase, we've been trying to sort this out for hours and gotten nowhere. Now might be a good time for a break. We could all use some sleep."

Nambu nodded slowly as Ken spoke. "You're right Gatchaman; perhaps this will begin to make more sense in the morning when we are all fresh. Will you escort Niccolo back to his quarters?"

"Hai, Hakase. I'll have the others stand guard in shifts." He turned and started to make his way to the door only to be brought up short by his mentor's voice.

"That won't be necessary, Ken. Let the other rest as well."

Ken opened his mouth to argue, but a quick glance at Joe changed his mind. "Let's go, Niccolo," Ken ordered quietly.

Joe silently fell into step behind Niccolo as the ninjas ushered the cyborg to his room. The silence was only broken by the staccato clicking of boot heels on the tile floor of the corridor. As they neared his assigned quarters, Niccolo stopped and turned to face the Condor. "Joe, you haven't said a word in hours."

"What would you have me say?" Joe glared into the face of the cyborg before him. "Don't expect me to just take what you say as truth. I don't trust you. I have no reason to trust you." Joe's voice deepened into a growl as he finished speaking.

Ken stood quietly observing the exchange as he reflected back to his last interaction with his own father. He only hoped that Joe's reunion would provide a more pleasant result. He cleared his throat to break the tension that had formed between the two men. The ploy was successful. The sound caused Niccolo to take one last long look at Joe's scowling expression before turning on his heel to face Ken once more. Ken nodded in response and resumed their trek.

A few minutes later, they arrived at their destination. Ken reached out and tapped in an access code. The door slid open with a gentle swooshing sound. Niccolo turned his gaze to Joe once more and opened his mouth as if to speak before thinking better of it. Sighing softly, he turned and went inside without another word. As the door closed behind him, Joe stepped forward and positioned himself against the wall. He pulled out a feather shuriken and slipped it between his teeth before crossing his arms and legs.

Ken stared at him for a moment before speaking. His words, when they came, were quiet, his voice low. "Joe, I understand your suspicion, but you need rest. You can't just stand here all night."

"I'll be fine." He lowered his head and closed his eyes. Ken almost missed the next words that issued from his second's lips. "My father died years ago. I can't accept that some flesh covered machinery would be able to take his place."

Ken closed the distance between them until he stood next to Joe. He slid down the wall until he was seated on the floor with his knees drawn up to his chest. His visor slipped between his knees and he wrapped his wings about himself as he settled in to wait with Joe.

"Ken, what do you think you're doing?"

"Waiting with you," came the muffled reply.

Joe sighed and rolled his eyes before assuming a position on the floor similar to Ken's. "Go get some rest, Ken. I can handle this myself."

"No. I can rest just as easily here as anywhere. And I don't think you should be alone right now."

"What do you think I'm going to do? Go in there and hold a pillow over his face?"

"No, not specifically."

"Ken…" Joe drawled as he took in Gatchaman's smirk.

Before Ken could utter another word however, the door behind the ninjas opened to reveal Niccolo. Two helmeted heads looked up in surprise at the interruption.

"Niccolo, did you need something?" Ken asked solicitously.

He received no response other than a blank stare. Niccolo turned his head from side to side stiffly before choosing a direction and striding down the hallway.

"Niccolo!" Ken called out sharply. "Where do you think you're going?"

He received no response to his call. As he rose to his feet and opened his mouth to call out once again, a white blur whizzed past Ken's head.

"The man asked you a question, Niccolo. It would only be polite to answer." Joe admonished. "Be warned, the next feather will do more than shave a few hairs from your head."

This time the cyborg slowed, though it did not come to a full stop. The ninjas sprang into action as Niccolo hesitated, fighting an internal battle. As they tackled him to the ground, the cyborg fought back. His enhanced strength proved an advantage as he freed himself from their clutches. The Eagle and the Condor stood up and turned to face Niccolo once more.

Gatchaman called out once more. "Niccolo, where are you going?"

Once again, the cyborg slowed, but did not stop. His motions continued to grow more jerky and sporadic as Ken and Joe watched. Suddenly Niccolo whirled around to face the two ninjas, his face unreadable. He reached out one hand and whispered, "Stop me. Please. I can't fight this much longer. Don't let me lose control."

Ken stepped forward and addressed Niccolo quietly. "Stop you from doing what? What are you fighting, Niccolo?"

Niccolo ignored Gatchaman, instead looking to Joe, his eyes pleading. "Joe, please. End this now. I can't resist the urge much longer. Set me free from this prison, Giorgio. You were right, Galactor did want me to infiltrate and attempt to destroy any ISO base I could gain access to. Don't let me do it, son."

Tears flooded the Condor's eyes before streaming down his cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be right. Forgive me." Joe closed his eyes and took a deep, settling breath. When his eyes opened once more, there was no sign of emotion in the blue steel of his gaze. Taking aim with his gun, there was no waiver in his arm. "Good-bye… Father," he said softly before pulling the trigger.

Ken stood and watched helplessly as the projectile made impact and the cyborg fell lifelessly to the ground. A single tear rolled from Niccolo's right eye and disappeared into his hairline. Dropping to one knee, Gatchaman checked for any sign of life from the figure lying still on the floor. Finding nothing to indicate that Niccolo was still alive, Ken slowly rose to his feet once more. He turned to face Joe only to find an empty corridor. Sighing, he lifted his wrist to his mouth and initiated contact with Nambu, informing him of recent events.

* * *

><p>Standing on the beach above Crescent Coral Base, Joe looked across the ocean waters. Tears filled his eyes as he reflected on the last twenty four hours of his life. Suddenly he was an eight year old boy again. He sank to his knees as grief flooded though him. Tilting his head back to face the darkness of the night sky, he let out a loud, strangled cry before collapsing onto the sand. For a few minutes, he sobbed helplessly, his entire body heaving with each breath. Slowly he regained control and pushed the sadness back into the recesses of his heart, focusing instead on the anger he felt. He stood up and wiped the tears from his face. His sorrowful expression had been replaced with a grim determination.<p>

On the surface, he was right back where he had started from. His parents were dead and Galactor was responsible. Yet now, he was more resolved than ever to find a way to defeat the evil organization. They would pay for making him pull the trigger this time. What was personal before had become more so tonight. He swore that he would have his revenge even if it cost him his life.


End file.
